Humanoid for Keeps
by grey-zebra
Summary: Leanne Reed has stumbled onto a man who claims to be an android. An expert in retrieving information, he wastes no time in hacking into her personal data for "research", and decides to guard her health as payment for her kindness, forcing her to take him in her home. But when fiction turns into reality and bullets start flying, she realizes she may be in over her head!
1. Chapter 1

Kotetsu T. Kaburagi blinked and stared at the once critically damaged android. At its face—his own face. _No_, he screamed inside his mind. _This can't be real_. But no words came out.

Damn.

Saito—the quiet-natured engineer—brought the android back to live; it took two months of hard work to repair the last of the damaged parts, and then another week to assemble.

Kotetsu could hear the android's vital organ beating—or rather, the faint humming of the engine resembling a human heart.

Black Tiger had been confined in the lab for a year and four months. Those red emotionless eyes still haunted Kotetsu in his nightmares till this very day.

He was glad the android wasn't conscious; seeing those cold eyes again would only serve to fuel his dark fears. Still, his gentle heart swayed, and somewhere along the way, Kotetsu pitied the humanoid.

Saito stripped him down to a black inner suit and attached probes and leads all over his body. In the background Kotetsu could hear machines beeping, recording things his intelligence cannot possibly comprehend, so he doesn't even _try_.

"Are you sure about this, Saito?" He had his doubts about this little experiment. The spectacled engineer, however, was determined to research the android for data that will prove useful in future projects.

"He's on safety mode, right?"

He was giving Black Tiger a thorough inspection with his eyes. Then, he heard Saito's low murmuring voice. "I removed his weaponry as a precaution, if that makes you feel better," the little man smirked.

Leaning down on the android, he poked his face a little too much. "So he's as harmless as a kitten without claws."

When he pressed his finger to its cheek with casual familiarity, the android's eyelids jerked open. With a horror-filled look on his face, Kotetsu hurriedly took three steps back and held onto his beating heart.

Smoke was seeping out of the machinery as Black Tiger struggled to take in the surrounding area. He clenched a fist, then jabbed it relentlessly into empty space, very much liking how the artificial muscles worked.

Then it turned, and red eyes were focused on Kotetsu, making him feel naked and exposed. As he looked into those defiant cold eyes, he clenched his teeth in anticipation.

Is Black Tiger going to finish what it started? He hoped not. The android's gaze continued to bore into him.

"Shut it down," Kotetsu growled. "Right now, Saito!" His sharp tone could have cut through steel plates.

From where he stood, Kotetsu watched an expression of terror flit across Black Tiger's face. The android was scared, and it most definitely didn't want to wait around for the order to get carried out.

As Kotetsu closed in with a fury of assaults, Black Tiger was living through the storm, blocking, covering up and ducking into safety. "I mean no harm," he said, all the while, with a voice so cold and empty—but still Kotetsu's voice all the same.

"You expect me to believe you?" he growled, momentarily forgetting that the android can easily overpower him. Maybe he was angry at himself for fearing his double, but the anger was directed outward.

"You're an android! You think you belong out there?" He scoffed and spoke in a sarcastic tone of voice: "I can't imagine why you'd want to mingle with us humans. Can't wait to torture innocent people, huh? Yeah, that's it."

The android cringed as the words slammed into his system. "No," he managed to say, even when he knew that being the bad guy was the role he was forced to play. "Trust me," he said, the empty eyes staring into the windows of Kotetsu's soul.

He looked like he wanted to laugh in his face. "Trust you? Why should I? You're a menace to society!"

This was going nowhere.

The challenging look in Kotetsu's eyes tore at the android. He hurled himself upon Black Tiger, delivering an uppercut and a straight punch in his frustration. But Black Tiger blocked the two, ducked a third, stepped to the side to avoid a fourth, and was then driven backward by a hurricane of blows.

The android admired the man's steady persistence, but something must be done to stop this.

When Black Tiger drove his fist at his opponent's face with terrific force and lightning speed—then halting his assault in the nick of time , Kotetsu's hat flew off.

Taking advantage of the man's confusion, Black Tiger made his escape. Kotetsu did the nearing-retirement version of a sprint after him but his double had mingled with the busy crowd of Sternbild.

He was hidden from the human eye and protected from human touch.

One day, these humans would discover just how wrong they were for judging androids by the crimes they were forced to commit, by their own hands no less. Their bodies will die, but Black Tiger will be here eternally.

Eternal, just like Black Tiger's irritation seemed to be.

He didn't want to be among the humans, to be abused yet again. Despite this, the red-eyed android wouldn't ever lower himself to harm people.

His hands curled into fists.

_You're an android_, they would say. _You're a menace to society._ To these humans… Black Tiger was considered a puppet, with manipulative hands tugging at the strings. That's just the way things worked.

They battle the desires of the flesh, and he does not.

He doesn't know how it feels to experience lust, envy, greed, rage, pride, hate, despair, happiness. But that does not mean his existence is inferior to the human race. Androids, in actuality, don't differ much from humans as much as they would think.

"Hate," Black Tiger said to no one but himself.

Grinding his teeth, he slipped through the crowd without any difficulty and reached the roof of a five story department building in central Sternbild, peering down at the humans so blithely going about their evening.

Hour after hour passed, but he stood motionless, observing them. Some were shopping, some talking and laughing, and some snacking while they walked.

If they knew the reason of his existence—taking him for a dangerous killing machine—they would drop down on their knees, sobbing and begging him to spare their lives.

Humans knew they were fading. They grew up knowing they'd have to abandon everything and everyone they loved, and that… fascinated him.

If he were to be destroyed, he shouldn't do anything this time around—no, not even beg—to change his fate. Despite the large amount of information stored in his system, humans know things he did not.

Perhaps it would be better if he were disposed of after all.

He gazed down at the gloomy street beneath him, the taunting ground opening its arms as if begging to embrace him. Wind blustered, ruffling his hair in every direction. An android was what he was, what he always would be. And his existence did not matter to them. Not to anyone.

_Jump_, he beseeched.

He was a dark entity that craved unspeakable evil, wasn't he?

_Jump_.

He knew he would shatter in pieces on contact. He could wish, anyway. Finally, he splayed his arms. Closed his eyes. Leaned…

"Come down from there," he heard a voice say from behind him. A voice with a whispery quality, as if filled with smoke and dreams, and it settled over Black Tiger like warm honey. And yet, with the soothing came a tensing. Every artificial muscle in his mechanical body knotted up, as if preparing to fight.

Reading his mind as to wondering what she was doing here, she said: "I work here. I saw you on the roof when I left the building."

He blinked.

The woman was out of breath; clearly, she impulsively rushed up here as fast as she possibly could. This confused him. Still, he chose to turn around once more and balanced on the edge of the roof.

"Come down from there, please!"

He halted, but refused to come down.

"My assigned purpose as of this moment is 'coming down', as you put it. Regardless, you interfere with the one purpose you want me to fulfill."

"That's not what I meant. Come on, we can talk this out. Just don't do anything you'll regret, I beg of you."

That wasn't the answer he sought. How could he regret jumping to his doom when _jumping_ was his only salvation?

"You are frail. You cannot begin to comprehend my predicaments in this world."

"No." She certainly didn't want to impose either. "But you have to understand that you can't possibly choose to die, not when there are plenty unfortunate souls living in this city, in this world. You are _not_ dying on me," Where her tone had been alarming before, it was now threaded with hope. "You should live while you still have the chance."

There was a pause.

Turning around, he faced her. Judging by the fragility of her bone structure, she was a tiny thing. Her features were plain, her skin as pale as porcelain, and her eyes as gray as a winter storm.

Her dark hair was cut short-a typical bob cut-with a fringe at the front. There was an air of fatigue surrounding her, and yet, there was a sparkle in those winter eyes. A sparkle he would soon learn more about.

In the blink of an eye, Black Tiger learned her name and anything in-between, the information seeming to download straight into his hard drive.

Born at twenty-seven weeks, she had struggled to survive the heart defect she'd been born with. Multiple surgeries were needed, and she almost died countless times. Throughout the years, her parents had become fond of saying, "You have to keep yourself calm or you'll have another heart attack."

Innocent words meant to aid her. Humans were fascinating indeed.

"I am beginning to comprehend your strong desire to thwart my fall," he said, steadily approaching the girl. "It is because you are one of the 'unfortunate souls' you spoke of, is it not?"

She squinted her eyes, regarding him with suspicion. "Rest assured, in place of my assigned purpose, I shall aid you in your quest to perfect health."

Her temper flared and she had to take deep breaths to calm herself. Had he offended her in some way—when all he wanted was to return the kindness she had offered him?

"You're a strange man."

"I assure you, I am not a member of the species homo sapiens such as yourself, despite sharing the same form of a male human."

"You're missing a couple of screws, aren't you?"

"On the contrary; my screws are heavily secured. Rotwang, my creator, has bestowed upon me the name H-01."

"Is that some kind of street code—"

"I am an android."

An android.

H-01.

Not a man, but an android.

Laughter bubbled from her, such beautiful laughter, with nothing held back. The kind he would never experience for himself.

Having observed her for a moment, it became painfully clear that she didn't believe him. Mentioning his nature would only send other people running. _And yet this human stands before me, laughing._

Intriguing. Her kindness alone, though undeniable, wasn't enough to fascinate him. But the kindness _and_ bold nature… _that_ he found compelling.


	2. Chapter 2

He was there again.

Tucked into the very back corner of the alley, occupying the space he'd made his own over the past week. Wearing the same inner suit and sitting with his arms around his knees. Staring at nothing. He didn't understand what he did wrong.

Keeping a close eye on Leanne for her own safety only served to anger her and she threatened to call the police if he continued to do so. Reluctantly, he got up on his feet. The sooner he proved he was to be trusted with her life, the sooner he can protect her from harm.

Leanne moved through the sliding doors of her workplace trying to exude the air of someone who's alright. The noise, the heat and the crowd at the office combined with her throbbing head made her want to leave early for a breath of fresh air.

Holly bumped her arm against Leanne's. "You okay?" The frizzy-haired brunette had noticed her friend's change in attitude, but she knew it would be useless to bother her during work hours.

"The past few days have been like a nightmare."

Holly stopped Leanne in her tracks in an attempt to get her friend to look at her properly. If she looked Holly in the eyes, Leanne's grip on her emotions would completely unravel. Holly cupped her elbow. "Do you feel okay? You've gone white."

"No, I'm not okay. Apparently, I'm being stalked by this weird nutcase—which I'm sure has escaped from a mental hospital—and he won't leave me alone. I haven't slept and ate properly because of it. I can't go out anymore thinking that he's still on my tail, and the worst of it all is that I don't hate him for ruining my life but I know I should!"

Having shared her troubles with her best office friend, Leanne felt a bit better already.

"Okay, breathe," Holly said in a calming tone. "We can go pop into a café for food if you're that hungry, my treat. Afterwards we can chill at my place, and I won't mind one bit if you end up falling asleep on the sofa. And next time that creep comes around you don't hesitate to call me, you hear?"

Leanne's facial expression softened. "I am so lucky to have you as a friend."

"Hey! Make that sister! I always looked out for you, didn't I?"

Leanne and Holly had been best friends for almost ten years and she was always so strong, so resilient. Leanne could always lean on her.

"By the way, how did the doctor's appointment go?"

Ah yes, for a moment she forgot about her heart condition. All she wants is to live her life like a normal person. Her father didn't like the fact that she chose to work—to be independent, when her heart could expand any moment until it burst, much like a balloon.

How well Leanne knew that, for she'd felt every day of her life like a noose tightening around her neck, one worry stacking upon another.

"The results came out fine," she had hardly uttered these words when a man ran up to them, snatched her purse, and she cried, "Stop, thief!" Naturally, the thief didn't stop.

Leanne ran after him but she was forced to give up; her heart knotted into a hard, tight ball, and she desperately tried to catch her breath.

With a mighty sprint Black Tiger chased after the crook, and in a moment he was only a few seconds behind him. In another second the thief felt a vise-grip about the wrist that held Leanne's purse. Giving the wrist of his prisoner a sharp twist, Black Tiger snatched away the item that was stolen, returning it to Leanne who had recovered her breath and looked absolutely flabbergasted.

By this time a crowd had gathered, and the thief had suddenly recovered his wits and wanted to jerk his hand away. He found that it was not easy to free himself from Black Tiger's iron grip. "Let go of me!"

"I will let go of you as soon as a policeman has a hold of you, and not before," retorted Black Tiger without the faintest trace of any emotion in his voice. "You are a thief. You must be brought to justice."

The man suddenly uttered an angry exclamation and launched a blow at Black Tiger's head, which the android avoided, allowing it to pass over his shoulder. He did not struck back at the enemy. Instead Black Tiger, by a skillful twist, had whirled the thief around until his back was toward him.

Then Black Tiger let go of his hold on the wrist, clasping the man around the body and restraining his arms to his sides. "You might as well stand still," said the android. "You cannot get away until I permit you to, and that will not be until the police arrives."

Shortly after, the thief was cuffed by the police and brought to the station.

"What a good-looking man. And in superb physical shape, too," Holly's heart went pitter-patter at the sight of the android. "He must work out a _lot_."

Black Tiger's gaze bored into Leanne. She desperately wanted to escape but it was too late. He had approached her, oblivious of all the attention placed on him.

"Did I act according to your wishes, Leanne Reed?" He inquired innocently. The crowd dispersed around them, and Holly's jaw dropped.

"You know this ruggedly handsome stranger clad in nothing but a sexy spandex, and you never told me?" "I am not a 'ruggedly handsome stranger clad in a sexy spandex'. I am merely a humanoi—"

"Please just shut up!" Leanne shouted at once.

Black Tiger blinked once. "Affirmative. Initiating silent mode."

"Oh my god," Leanne face-palmed. _I can't handle these two_. Still, thanking him was necessary. Keeping her voice pleasant, she said, "I'm afraid we'll have to hang out some other time, Holly."

A smile flickered on her lips. "I don't mind. You go ahead and spend some quality time with this hunk of a man~" the brunette snapped her teeth, and Black Tiger was oblivious of the fact that she had taken an interest in him.

After she left the scene Leanne looked him over. Even for a mentally unstable man, it's inexcusable to walk around wearing that black inner suit; he desperately needs a makeover.

With his hair trimmed, his chin smoothly shaved, and clad in new clothes Leanne couldn't shake off the deadly glares when she walked through the entrance of her favorite café.

Most of the men were glaring at Black Tiger, clearly intimidated, while the women were star-struck, afterwards glaring at poor Leanne. Yes, he looked handsome with his crispy white shirt, red slim tie, a pair of nicely fitting jeans and a black double breasted jacket—because she hand-picked it out for him, of course!

She started walking to her usual table, then stopped in her tracks when she realized two women were occupying Black Tiger. He stood frozen for a long beat, then apologized and joined Leanne. She noticed that he has the tendency to move as though someone was holding him at gunpoint, his movements jerky and tense.

He pulled Leanne's seat from under the table. She sat, as did he, then stared at her from across the table as though his life depended on it.

"I'm guessing you're not gonna leave me alone," Leanne said with squinting eyes. Black Tiger continued staring in silence. "You're not the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you?"

She grew tired of this. Perhaps, if she would explain the situation carefully, he might understand. Slowly, she reached out for his hands on the table. Oddly enough, his skin felt cold to the touch, and a bit unnatural.

"Thank you for helping me retrieve my purse earlier." Averting his gaze from her hands and looking at her face once more, he said: "You are utmost welcome, Leanne Reed."

Leanne bit her inner cheek.

"I'm giving you the chance to start your life anew. You can get a decent job and live on your own. You have to stop following me around, do you understand?"

"My mission is clear; I will aid you in your quest to perfect health. For this mission to succeed, I require to be by your side 24/7."

"This is crazy," she muttered. He shook his head. "It is not. It is correct that you have given me a second chance, that I am indebted to you, and I choose to aid you on my own accord."

"No no, I can't let you do this," Leanne protested vigorously. "It's too weird! I mean, I don't even know you."

"I am H-01, an android created by Rotwang commissioned by Albert Maverick, the president and CEO of Apollon Media, which is the company responsible for Hero TV—"

"Okay, I seriously thought you'd drop the android back-story by now," Leanne leaned back on her chair and sighed. "I don't care what it is, just do something with your life and leave me alone."

With that said, she got up, about to leave the café when Black Tiger said: "You are afraid of dying, and yet you refuse to accept my help. That is… something I cannot comprehend."

Of course she was afraid of dying! Her heart could stop at any moment. And this time, the doctors may not be able to revive her. She felt the need to yell at him, but she was drained both mentally and physically to do so.

"Just leave me alone, please." Her plea alarmed him, as did the tears in her winter grey eyes that threatened to overflow.

He hated himself with every ounce of his being. No matter how hard he tried to do good, he was a tool, a killer, just like he was programmed.

He leaves chaos and confusion in his wake.

He ruined.

And he will do the same with the girl—but even then he refused to give up.

Now Black Tiger saw her look away with an expression of such deep anxiety and pain, her shoulders shaking and her hand clutching at her chest. She collapsed, choking for breath. Black Tiger caught her in his arms and there escaped a frightened cry from her lips, before she blacked out.

Leanne lay on a stretcher in the rear of an ambulance. The siren was silent, the traffic a constant background noise. She could feel the pressure of the oxygen mask on her face, the sting of the IV drip in her arm.

She wondered what it would be like just to close her eyes and drift off. To never wake again. Maybe this was it for her.

A familiar face loomed over her. H-01, the self-proclaimed android and persistent stalker was staring down at her.

"Hello," he said. "I have made the necessary arrangements to optimize your recovery."

Leanne smiled then realized it wasn't worth the effort as the oxygen mask was hiding her face. She wasn't ready to sleep forever. There were still things she wanted to do and things she wanted to see.

And for now, she was glad to see him.

Leanne urged for him to hold her hand. He did so without question. She said in a weak, slightly muffled voice, mouthing every vowel: "Thank you for your assistance."

For the first time, his eyebrows were furrowed as he successfully executed a slightly confused expression. He became aware of a change in her; she was no longer going against his wishes. Black Tiger squeezed her fragile hand softly.

"You are utmost welcome, Leanne Reed."


	3. Chapter 3

The man who just walked into Leanne's hospital room had trouble written all over him. Dante Riviello, the hotshot doctor and expert at dealing with heart ailments. His dark hair, chiseled jaw and charismatic career made him a chick magnet.

Dante was too gorgeous for his own good and he wasn't the only one who thought so.

The female nurses and doctors at the hospital had their eyes on him—but he worshipped Leanne; knowing she won't look twice at him had something to do with it. But his connection to her went beyond that.

This was where Leanne had spend countless days and nights for the past twenty-four years under his father's care, who now shared this task with his talented son.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

The room was small, with multiple machines attached to the fragile female on the bed. Black Tiger sat next to her, staring at Dr. Riviello.

"Good enough to go home," Leanne answered. She couldn't wait to take off her thin hospital gown and leave the building.

"Pardon me…" Dante regarded the android with a look of distrust. "But I would like to discuss Leanne's condition in private."

Looking a little confused, Black Tiger lifted his confused gaze to the doctor. When he hesitated, it was all Dante could do not to grab him by the wrist and yank him out of the room.

Leanne laid a hand on Black Tiger's, her eyes flashing defiantly at Dante. _Stay with me_, she said without uttering a word. She didn't want to be alone with Dante. The man in question arched his brow.

"Well… as of this morning you've been stabilized," he made his way to the head of her bed and rested his hand on the railing. "But this is now your third admission this year. To be honest, things are heading downhill, but you'll make it as long as you avoid any stressful situations."

Dr. Riviello seemed to know his stuff, but what if he was wrong? Doctors have been wrong before. She knew that better than anybody.

"You should stop pushing your limits. Don't you care if you die?" The question itself struck fear into her battered heart. "You're not like anyone else. You know that, and still you choose to live on the edge."

More than anything, she wouldn't allow her freedom to be taken away from her. "I want to be like everyone else."

"You will always be different. You have to let this go," his voice soothed.

"I won't let it go." A flint of pain was evident behind her words.

"For all we know you might die next time."

Black Tiger tensed. He didn't want to fail his self-assigned mission.

"I know that," she said.

Dante reached out to her, placing his hand over hers. "Then stop doing this to yourself."

"No!" The slap of her hand against his punctuated the denial. "How many times do I have to tell you? How I live my life is none of your business!"

During the argument, Black Tiger stood from his seat and regarded Dante with a dangerous look in his blood-red eyes. He was striving to comprehend why the man showed so much interest in Leanne—for the wrong reasons, he presumed.

"Have you concluded your report?"

Ordinarily Dante would have walked up to trouble-makers and kicked them out. This time he didn't and wasn't sure why. "Yeah…I'm done."

"Then I advise you to leave. There must be other important matters that require your undivided attention."

One corner of Dante's mouth quirked up. "I'm curious. What's your relationship with this guy?" His ego was asking and Leanne resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"He's my boyfriend," she finally said.

"Excuse me?" He didn't look puzzled, just amused.

"We've been dating for a while now. He treats me well."

"Good for you." His eyes gleamed as he looked Black Tiger over with an expression of loathing.

— — — — — — — —

"Did you see his face?" Leanne said as she walked along the hall. "He always stopped by to visit me even on days when he'd been assigned to other rooms and patients, so it gets annoying. Sorry for using you like that."

Black Tiger shook his head. "He was a nuisance—though I frown upon your habit of lying, it was necessary in this situation. Therefore, I will 'let it slide', as you humans put it," he said, earning a wave of laughter from Leanne. "I'll buy you a treat for the trouble!"

Leanne looked at Black Tiger, whose short, brown hair was a mess, whose expressionless red eyes seemed to know what she was thinking and feeling without her ever having to say a word.

His presence didn't make her want to scream. Maybe she just appreciated the fact that he didn't walk on eggshells around her and act cheerful when she wasn't. Why he wants to hang out with her 24/7 is beyond her. After all, he might not be right in his head, but he wasn't bad to look at.

"I'm gonna get some cash," Leanne said when they reached the bank. She approached an ATM machine, but it was broken so she marched inside the building. Black Tiger followed her in silence, at some little distance, like a servant. Taking half a dozen steps inside he sensed something wrong about the place.

The man in the center of the space turned, giving Leanne a shock.

He had a gun.

"Everyone down! Any quick moves and we'll shoot!"

She dropped onto the floor of the bank. The contents of her purse scattered everywhere as she hit the ground. At the sound of approaching footsteps, her heart rate quickened. She raised her head, just enough to take a quick inventory of the situation.

Two men. Clown masks. Guns.

Only two tellers were working right now, and the manager had left for a late lunch. Three other customers had also sunk to the floor. A frail-looking older woman, a college-aged girl and a blonde middle-aged man.

The shorter of the two robbers locked the glass doors at the front of the bank. He then stepped between the customers, the barrel of his gun bouncing against his black pants.

The second robber, the one who'd ordered everyone to the ground, rushed toward the tellers, a bag in hand. "If you do what we say, no one will get hurt."

The first robber—Shortie, Leanne nicknamed him—kicked Leanne's purse back to her, sending her stuff rolling everywhere. "Give me your cell phones. If anyone tries to call the police, I'll…I'll kill you."

A shudder ripped down Leanne's spine, and her hands trembled as she riffled through her purse. Shortie loomed over her. "Come on, lady!"

She jerked the phone from her purse. It burned in her hands, reminding her that this was her lifeline to the outside world. If only she could call the police… No, let them get their money and get out of here, she told herself. Be compliant.

She shoved her phone into Shortie's gloved hand. He grunted as he snatched it from her. Once all the phones were collected in a black bag, the man laid them on the counter at the center of the bank. The young teller behind the counter raised her hands in the air. Her eyes stretched wide with fear. "Whatever you want. Just don't hurt anyone."

The other robber, the ringleader, Leanne thought, shoved his gun at the teller. "I want all of the money in your drawer. If the police or any shitty Heroes show up right now, you'll be the first one I take out."

Just do what they say, Leanne prayed. Then maybe they would leave. The police could come and get some fingerprints and take eyewitness accounts.

"What are you doing?" Ringleader shouted at the teller.

Leanne hunkered down on the floor, her back against the wall. The best thing she could do would be to remain quiet and unseen. Shortie paced over her, his job obviously to guard the customers as Ringleader grabbed the money.

He waved his gun at her, and Leanne noticed his hand trembling. The man was a novice at this. Was that a good or a bad thing? The other man, Ringleader, didn't seem nervous at all.

"I need more money than that. Open the other drawers!" Ringleader leaned toward the teller, his gun aimed at her temple. She shook her head, tears glimmering in her eyes. "I can't. I don't have their keys!"

"What do you mean, you don't have their keys? Can't you get them?"

"Only the manager has access to all the keys. You have to have them to open the drawers." Tears glistened in her eyes.

"You're messing with me! Just get the keys, give me the money and nobody gets hurt." Black Tiger's strong steady voice broke through the mayhem. "You will be the unfortunate one to get hurt if you refuse to lower your weapon and retreat."

Shortie pointed his gun at him. Leanne struggled to pull him down, "What are you doing?" but he rose on his feet despite her efforts.

"Heed my words and yield." His gaze remained level and even. Leanne had to admire Black Tiger's calm demeanor. She glanced at him, at the chisel of his features, at his tanned complexion. Dark, thick hair. Tall, strong form.

Ringleader pointed his gun at the other teller. "Put your money in it now!" The teller filled his bag, but then he turned his attention back to the other one. "Figure out how I can get more money."

He reached over and grabbed Leanne's arm, pulling her to her feet. The gun went to her head. "Do it now or she dies." She gasped and trembles overtook her.

"Release her," Black Tiger said with flashing eyes. Ringleader paced over to him, Leanne in tow. "Are you in charge here? I didn't think so. You're going to be next if you don't keep your mouth shut."

Leanne's chest burned. She was acutely aware of the gun at her temple. One accidental jerk of the finger and she'd be dead, just like that.

At the moment, Black Tiger stared with gleaming, angry eyes. The power of his presence literally scared everyone around, including the robber currently holding onto Leanne. "I'll blow her brains out—" Something hard hit Ringleader in the face, cutting him off. He flew aside like lightning through the glass doors, groaning, then lost consciousness.

Black Tiger looked her over, his eyes bland but familiar to her. Something about his calm gaze made her racing heart slow for a moment. "Are you alright, Leanne Reed?" he asked. She nodded, grateful to be alive. "Thank you," she whispered.

Shortie's gun fired.

Leanne screamed.

She slapped her hand over her mouth, disbelief filling her. The other robber had just shot Black Tiger. She lifted a prayer as tears rushed to her eyes.

He simply stared at the small gash on his upper arm, uncaring. He turned back to Shortie who was shaking visibly and with a desperate scream, he fired once more. A great hail storm of bullets rained down on the android, but he felt them no more than an alligator feels the attacks of a colony of ants.

Right on through he dashed, threw him down, and held him against the floor. Shortie struggled desperately for a few moments, passing in time into a hysterical fit of dry sobbing, and then fainted on his own.

"You're surrounded. Quietly turn yourselves in!" Alarmed, Black Tiger looked at the front door.

"Did you hear that? It's Sky High!" The young female darted through the door, and the others soon followed. Leanne breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. Just as she stepped to the front door, she looked back at Black Tiger.

He didn't move.

His gaze held fear. Kotetsu was going to find him. And when he did, he would kill him. Leanne sighed before she walked in the opposite direction, "We'll leave through the back door. Come on," and Black Tiger trailed after her like a shadow.

At the entrance of the bank, Wild Tiger groaned and scratched his head. "Is something wrong?" Barnaby quipped; the handsome Hero didn't like the look on his partner's face.

"More like something right. Two robbers ending up biting the dust and none of the hostages were hurt—not that I'm complaining. It just smells…" Kotetsu swallowed deeply.

"Fishy, I know," Barnaby added. "Judging from the hostages' details on the crime scene someone saved their lives, with success. If true, it makes for an incredible tale."

Kotetsu had already gotten wind of the savior's description. Especially the description of the face—his own face. The memories of that terrible battle flashed through his head.

Black Tiger was a monster. The android left Barnaby scarred for life, it almost killed Kotetsu, and Amelia—though she wasn't proud to admit it—suffered from terrifying nightly disturbances and nightmares.

"That damn android was here. It's only a matter of time before someone gets killed with that thing wandering around." Now it was Barnaby's turn to swallow hard. They couldn't let that happen.


	4. Chapter 4

"This is my place," Leanne said when they reached her apartment. "Don't look too hard at the mess, " she continued to say when she unlocked the door. "Tidiness isn't my thing." And indeed the place was a mess. Not in a should-be-condemned way, though. Just in a too-tired-to-clean way; the sunny, wood-floored living room was overrun with clothes in a rumpled heap and literature scattered all around.

There was a pulled-out sofa bed in the center of the room. Her apartment was tiny, for sure, but bright and cheerful with a nice kitchen and bedroom, a thick, colorful rug on the floor.

"You can sit down on the sofa, and I'll be right back," Leanne said, walking to the bathroom. When she returned to the living room, however, her clothes were neatly folded and the magazines were stored in the old wooden bookcase. And sitting on the sofa, an obviously bored young man with curious red eyes.

"Umm… Thank you?" He looked up at her and blinked. "You are utmost welcome, Leanne Reed."

No words came from her lips for a moment. She couldn't think of anything that might explain his strange actions for the past few days—though there is one... She hesitated for a moment, then sat beside him, asked: "You're some kind of robot, aren't you?"

He looked into her grey eyes, and a ripple of confusion traveled through him. "I am an android, as I have expressed often before," he said. Leanne lifted her eyebrows and studied Black Tiger with renewed interest.

He grew confused—again.

"So you're an android. A walking, talking, independent piece of machinery, wandering around with no purpose."

"My purpose is to see you unharmed."

"What about before? Why do you exist in the first place?"

The android was hesitant to answer at first, and Leanne was quiet when he began to tell his story. "My purpose was to destroy, to kill," he said calmly, though his eyes were two deep points of fire. "Therefore, the world has judged me as a machine, a killing-machine, with only mind enough to hunt, to slay mankind. I am considered evil and have no remorse. It is safe to say that my existence has become a hazard to mankind; I will be destroyed sooner or later."

Leanne let his words sink in. Humans created him, only to destroy him... and left him alone, in a cold laboratory until his demise came at hand.

"Humans do not trust me. But it is human nature to distrust others, is it not? I did not perceive it before, but I do now."

She shook her head. "That's no excuse. They should know better than to turn their backs on you, but they did it anyway. Life is precious. Human, animal or android, it doesn't matter. They have no right to kill you off. You deserve to live just as much as I want to live my life to the fullest. You can be independent and—"

"Be normal."

She sighed. "Yeah, exactly."

"It is something that we both strive to become, it seems."

"I trust you." He jerked his gaze to hers. Her grey eyes were soft and filled with emotion.

"I'm not sorry for stopping you that day on the roof. I'm glad I did. You ended up saving my life, _twice_. That alone proves you're a good person. Others might see you as a killing-machine, but I consider you a friend. You did nothing wrong. Always remember that."

Black Tiger studied her. Had he been human, he might have felt his heart move—a perceptible shift. But he was an android, one who at least understood that what had occurred between him and Leanne was a true bond of friendship.

"Is it alright if I… hug you?" she asked awkwardly, since she felt he needed one. "I don't want to trigger any high-sensitive weaponry or anything similar."

Almost immediately he leaned over and embraced her, pouring his gratitude into his embrace. Leanne swallowed. "You've good a good grip there," she pats his back.

"My skeletal structure differs from an average male in various ways—I am superior in every way possible."

"Just don't shoot laser-beams from your eyes."

"I will keep that in mind."

Leanne's laughter echoed through the little apartment.

Ten days after he and Leanne officially became friends and started living together, Black Tiger often contemplated on what to do since she made it absolutely clear not to leave the apartment when she's gone.

With her help he'll prove his worth to the world. He would make Sternbild acknowledge that he doesn't mean any harm, despite the fact that Rotwang intentionally created him to fulfill evil purposes—so he owes her.

His focus is helping Leanne in any way he can.

He gathered ingredients in the kitchen and prepared dinner, cooking easily thanks to the helpful data downloaded into his hardware. A full course dinner, consisting of four courses, tomato soup, healthy salad, grilled steak, and for dessert a slice of chocolate cake filled with fudge.

Judging his work, Black Tiger said aloud: "I might have executed dinner with too much care and detail. It is too elaborate, indeed."

He's been giving his all ever since Leanne called him a friend, his own limits be damned. It felt good to have her beside him, reading magazines, going grocery shopping, and she even made him dinner in which he tried to warn: "I do not require burgers—or any food source in that matter—to function."

But he sensed it would hurt her feelings. So what came out instead was, "That would be very much appreciated."

After they worked through their burgers, macaroni salad and bowls of ice cream, he showed signs of getting ill; his features convulsed, and he was struggling to function while foaming at the mouth.

At night, she's often singing under her breath and blanketing him with love and care so intense he often thought he was undeserving of her kindness.

He heard her dreams of starting a dancing career—dancing on stages around the world. Her heart ailment didn't make her lose her love of dancing, but it's not a desirable condition for a dancer, either way.

She'd given him suggestions on how to act more human-like and handling emotions. They danced at times where she didn't feel like going out—which she taught him as well.

He heard the doorbell.

Straightening, he answered the door. The color drained from Holly's face, standing in the doorway, watching him. "What a pleasant surprise," the dark-skinned woman purred. He stared at Holly's figure, his gaze lingering on her brown frizzy hair and then confirming that she was indeed Leanne's best friend.

Without a single response Black Tiger shut the door.

She rang the doorbell again, slightly vexed by his behavior. "I just came to see if Leanne was home. Obviously she failed to mention you two live together. Not that I'm complaining." Her light brown eyes glowed suspiciously; even the android was well aware of her intentions and he feared her because of it.

"She is not present at this moment."

In her opinion, it was a shame that such a good-looking man was so serious. Six feet, with fine hair and smooth skin, he's blessed with chiseled features and a hard body. He reminds her of a taller, darker version of her favorite CSI actor.

"So, she's not around?" she said casually, wetting her lips, and though she meant no harm Black Tiger was successfully intimidated.

"Affirmative."

"Strange... I assumed she'd be back from the hospital by now."

The thought of Leanne lying in the hospital brought a lot of discomfort to Black Tiger, and terror. Not wasting another second, he dashed through the door, taking the stairwell down three flights of the building, ran a half-dozen blocks and almost got hit by a truck as he crossed the street.

Holly blinked in his wake. "Wow."

— — — — — — — —

Black Tiger spotted a male nurse when he made his way through the glass doors—one of Leanne's nurses, and he asked him where he could possibly find her.

"She's at the children's ward today. I'll take you there," Lucas Hart said, taking the elevator to the tenth floor. "I bet she didn't tell you anything, huh?" He had casually ruffled dark blond hair that curled over his forehead, his brilliant blue eyes shining as he laughed in his amusement.

_This is no laughing matter_, Black Tiger thought, and he hardly noticed the hostile glare he fixed upon the slightly confused nurse.

The bell pinged and they stepped out.

"Leanne!" Lucas certainly didn't act like a professional nurse when he waved at her. Black Tiger felt a wash of relief as Leanne waved back, seemingly unharmed. The children surrounding her looked up at the android with a questioning look, but they didn't seem to mind his presence.

"Sorry Adam," Leanne apologized as she approached him. "I shouldn't make you worry like this." Correct, you are in the wrong. The answer was right there, but he swallowed it down.

He had loved how she called him by name, how she gave him one—had, after he admits she makes him forget whatever dangerous stunt she pulled off by uttering that cursed name.

"I was asked to do some volunteer work," Leanne explained. "To entertain the children, that's all. I know how lonely people can get when hospitalized so I couldn't refuse."

The children were affected by an illness, that much was obvious. Black Tiger couldn't keep his eyes away from the small humans who seemed content enough. He knew they have limits they cannot afford to break, less they would die.

"It's odd," Leanne continued to say. "They remind me so much of you." Black Tiger couldn't help but ask why. "Like you, they want to live. They're all hanging in there and doing their best so they can go home. There's also the constant questions they throw at me," she added with a slight nudge in his side.

"I do not earn the right to live on if they should die..."

She focused on his dark solemn face, mesmerized by his red eyes. She wondered what would happen if she were to die. He depended on Leanne. He needs her to guide him. If she were to die, he would be left all alone in this world.

Her heart saddened. She felt how different his existence would have been had she never met him. The sorrow of being alone wouldn't affect him as much if that was the case.

"Come on," Leanne forced herself to smile and pulled him along. "Let's have some fun!"

The children exploited poor Black Tiger who didn't seem to notice. They would demand a piggy-back ride from him, place silly stickers on his backside, or simultaneously climb on him whenever they had the chance. But after a while the kids grew so fond of him, they forgot all about Leanne.

"They made a new friend," Lucas sat down beside her.

"They don't see me standing anymore," Leanne pouts.

"He's the kind of guy that can cheer people up with ease," he said.

"Yeah," Leanne agreed, tucking a strand of her short hair behind her ear. "Like the sun after a heavy storm." She stared at Black Tiger perhaps a little longer than she should, unable to look away from the android currently reading a story to one of the girls sitting on his lap, which gave him an adorable image.

"You like him."

When she glanced back at Lucas she saw that his usual grin intensified.

"It's written all over your face."

"Adam is a good friend," she answered with a frown. Silence grew between them and Leanne tried to just let it be, but she hated quiet… always had. "It's complicated," she said.

"Because of your heart condition?"

She nodded despite knowing it was only partially to blame on her health. Black Tiger is an android; he has eternal life. She's a frail, sick human. She'll die soon enough. She tried to keep a neutral expression. "He's a good friend. That's all he is."


	5. Chapter 5

At Leanne's workstation, everyone had been treating her a little bit kinder since her unfortunate heart attack. Holly approached her with a wink. "Good to see you."

"It's good to be back," Leanne returned a smile.

The two girls whispered in an attempt to make their conversation inaudible. "I thought you had a week off." Holly's space was diagonally opposite Leanne's. "I felt well enough to start working today."

"I wonder why," Holly smiled mischievously. "I imagine it must feel like heaven to have Mr. Perfect at your every beck and call." Leanne logged on her pc and opened her email account. "He's a friend that has nowhere else to go, that's all."

"Honey, a child can see there's more going on between you two. That man is pampering you like no tomorrow! He practically worships the ground you're walking on." Leanne scribbled a reminder on a Post-it note and added it to the collection framing her computer screen. "I think you two make a good match," Holly added.

"Thanks," Leanne replied sarcastically. The reason why she came to work was so she could forget about Black Tiger—at least till the end of her shift. He won't stop spoiling her. He won't stop praising her, with that deep and strong voice, sending tingles racing down her spine.

"You're perfect," is what he said when Leanne was in a very depressed frame of mind. "Intelligent, lively and incredibly beautiful."

She enjoys sleeping with him, and not in a sexual sense. Just sleeping. Together. Under her blankets, in her bed. With her hand on his chest and his arm around her. With the window cracked, so it's chilly and she has an excuse to cuddle closer.

What was the matter with her?

Why was she making eyes at an android?

"Oh my God," Holly said abruptly, leaving her work station, and at the instant when Leanne turned her head: "Oh no," Black Tiger made his appearance in the work space, cleaning the floor with a mop and a great deal of sloppy water.

His presence produced commotion with the ladies. A low whisper: "He's stunning, isn't he?"

"Men have it easy. They can lounge all day eating junk food and still don't gain any weight. It's not fair," said another, with the accent on the fair.

His shoulders filled out his janitor jacket nicely, and his chest was firm, hard, perfect for caressing, and stroking. Leanne can vouch for that. He looked sharp in those damn work clothes.

No, better than sharp.

Fine.

Hot.

Head…turning.

_This isn't helping at all_, she thought, about to freak out. He was so engrossed in his work he didn't see the girls drooling over him. "Oh, janitor guy!" called Leanne. "There's a coffee spill in the hallway. Here, I'll show you!"

"Affirmative," answered Black Tiger, following her like a shadow. She started complaining the second they were out of sight and he merely blinked. "Didn't I tell you to stay indoors when I'm at work?"

Disappointment curved her mouth. It was a lovely mouth at any time, but when it curved in disappointment—he felt guilty. "I apologize for my troublesome actions. I merely aimed to please you, and in place, I foolishly succeeded in causing you discomfort."

Leanne sighed. It was hard to stay angry at him when he's always the first to sincerely apologize. "Tell you what, Adam," said Leanne. "I'll let you work here. But for the love of God don't blab anything about us knowing one another or I'll have to sit through work with the girls glaring daggers at me. Come on."

But he didn't move. The android was apparently scanning the area for the 'coffee spill' and then turned to look at Leanne. "You were lying again."

"People lie from time to time, you know," she folded her arms rigidly across her chest. "Not everyone has good intentions at heart."

"Everyone else does not matter. What matters is that you are filled with compassionate grace and tenderness. Despite the lies, I will continue to believe in every word that spills from your lips."

Surprised, she held his gaze. She watched as his face closed in on her. Panic ballooned in her stomach and surged through her body like a raging wildfire. Was he going to kiss her? Here? Now?

"Are you unwell? There is a peculiar redness evident on your face." Leanne watched as he placed his cool hand on her forehead. "I'd better continue working," she blurts out, leaving him standing in the hallway.

Leanne did not, would not, look over to where Black Tiger worked, but sometimes she was sure he looked over to her—because every now and then she felt her skin warm. Every now and then it seemed too complicated to head into her boss's office to deliver a bundle of papers. Black Tiger certainly didn't put Leanne at ease.

He made her awkward.

He made her aware. Even moving her fingers across the keyboard she felt as if her movements were being noted, and it made things acutely awkward.

Walking home Leanne felt like crying; despite his shift having ended two hours ago, Black Tiger waited patiently to accompany her home safely. He was content being by her side. And despite him looking like an overgrown duckling with the way he trailed after her, he was the essence of cool.

He had swag.

Charisma.

Sex appeal.

Clearly she wasn't the only one who saw him that way; she noticed yet again that people were staring at him. Passerby women drooled and men glowered. "I hate this," Leanne grimaced. Couldn't they see he's too damn perfect to be considered human?

By this time Black Tiger's red eyes caught the face of a familiar someone—a woman he almost robbed of her life some time ago. All the signs of physical fear was written on Amelia's face. She recalled the frightful terrors and dreadful nightmares that assailed her, triggered by this weapon of mass destructing she spotted in the crowd.

Her throat felt closed off, and it was growing increasingly hard to breathe.

"You alright?" A burly man approached her carefully.

Amelia shook her head.

Eyes stinging, she followed the doctor's advice to breathe slowly through her nose. _I can deal with this situation. All I have to do is close my eyes and wait for this to pass_. Yeah, right.

Now clawing at her white blouse, Amelia knew she was on the edge of a dangerous place. If she could just forget she saw him—forget about the android—then maybe she could breathe. "I have to get out of here," she said, pushing the man out of the way, only to encounter an elderly woman and crashing into her, sending the contents of her bag spilling on the ground. "I have to get out of here."

"Hey, what the hell!" The man complained, staring at the mess before helping the poor woman on her feet. She was going to be sick, and not caring if she caused them further inconvenience she made a phone call in a hurry.

— — — — — — — —

A buzz of excitement pervaded the studio as the recording started. "Hello and welcome, viewers of Sternbild. I'm Mario and we have a great show in store for you."

Kotetsu sat backstage, stretching his arms, followed with a content yawn. Despite the both of them being demoted into the Second League Barnaby was still as popular as ever, hence Barnaby's invitation.

"Let's welcome our guest this evening. The Super Rookie of the Hero world's super tag team; let's hear it for Barnaby!" As the applause died down and Kotetsu watched from the sidelines, he pouted childishly.

Silently he prayed for an emergency so the show would be cancelled. _Stop being selfish._

Barnaby was currently charming the audience's socks off on live TV and offered the people a smile as polished as his two-hundred-dollar shoes.

Kotetsu glanced at his watch. Just past 8:00 p.m.

When Barnaby's phone rang and he checked the caller-ID, Kotetsu was thankful for the distraction and picked it up. "—Take me home, please," Amelia said in a rush before he could greet her.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Kotetsu's voice on the other line did not bring her any relief in the least.

"That android was destroyed long ago and his body was demolished and I know he couldn't possibly have survived the explosion and I can't stand the thought of that thing wandering about and—" She was crying so hard, so hysterically, that her words stopped coming out. She closed her eyes, willing herself back to her safe home, away from the horrific images that haunted her.

"Take me home!" Amelia screamed. "I don't want to die! I don't want to be killed off."

Present merged with the past.

Her lungs felt raw from lack of air.

As soon as he knew her whereabouts, Kotetsu put the studio behind him, and ran as he had never run before in all his life, deadly fear putting wings on his heels. She'd just crashed down onto her knees and gripped her phone with desperation when a green SUV pulled up sharply—the brake had been suddenly, and even mercilessly applied to bring the car to a standstill.

"Kotetsu?" she asked, having difficulty seeing through tears. "Please, you have to take me home!" Everywhere people stared and pointed at them. "Kotetsu, please," she cried, "if you'd just take me home, then I would be safe and everything would be—"

"You're stronger than this," Kotetsu said in a warm, yet sad tone, taking her hands, leading her to his car. "You don't have to hide away anymore, you know that."

"You don't understand," she cried all the harder now that his words sunk in. "I can't let him find me. I'll die if I don't hide away."

"You're not dying on me," he said, urging her into the front seat and fastened her safety belt. Getting behind the wheel, he let out a long shivering breath as he tried to calm down his racing heart.

"Promise me you won't tell Barnaby," Amelia said with a sniffle. Dawning had been slow to come, but once it had, she wished for a rock to crawl under.

"Sorry." His smile was sincere. "Even though we go back a long way I can't possibly keep that promise." Humiliation didn't begin to cover the emotions through her.

"I'm a mess."

She brought her hands to her face, crying again, but for different reasons now. She was no longer frightened, but extremely exhausted.

"Hey…" Kotetsu awkwardly patted her shoulder. "You're gonna be fine."

After a moment of silence, she said, "I must have been seeing things; H-01 is nothing but a sick figment of my imagination."

"Yeah, that's exactly what it was," Kotetsu lied—for the greater good, but a lie nonetheless.

The prescribed medication should have eased her anxiety somewhat. Truth was, seeing Amelia fearing her own shadow for the first time had been a shock. One that disturbed him even to this day. There were days she shut herself up in her room, and barricaded the door, tortured by fear.

Clearly not in a good mood, Kotetsu started the engine and gunned it with the tires screaming against the asphalt.


	6. Chapter 6

"There's no need to check up on me," Leanne reassured her father over the phone. "I'm doing okay."

"That's not what doctor Riviello told me," Daniel Reed interjected as she paced back and forth in the living room. "Honey, we're worried about you. Just quit work and come home; the house is big enough for the three of us to live in."

"No way! Dad, I appreciate the offer but—"

"Yes way. I'm preparing your room as we speak. It's safer to have you close in case you have another attack."

"Oh, Dad…" she said, her voice filled with all the concern she knew her father was feeling. After all, he had held her hand during all those painful moments when Leanne had to be hospitalized in her childhood. "I know how much you worry about me."

"No, you don't. If you did you would accept my offer."

Leanne rolled her eyes. As much as she loved her father she couldn't help but think he's exaggerating a bit.

"We don't even talk anymore and I feel estranged from my own daughter. I want to hang out like we used to, or am I not hip enough to be seen with?" _Hip. Did people even use that word anymore?_ Daniel thought. Hearing his daughter laugh over the phone he assumed not.

"I'll call you regularly from now on and we'll hang out more often," she promised.

"Good. Let's start with a nice family dinner this Friday. Oh, and bring your boyfriend along." Boyfriend? "What are you talking about?" she said, horrified. "I don't have a boyfriend!" she said, a little more heatedly than absolutely necessary.

"Again," he said. "That's not what doctor Riviello told me."

Her teeth clenched as she cursed. She's gonna strangle Dante with his own tie! Black Tiger had warned her; the lies would blow up in her face sooner or later. As if on cue, the moment she hung up the phone, Black Tiger popped his head through the door. "Is there a complication?" he asked, a gleam in his red eyes.

There was a pause.

"Couldn't you at least put on a shirt?" Leanne grumbled, scowling at him. "Android or not, you can't walk around with that muscular body that belongs on an oversized Calvin Klein billboard, selling briefs. You have to be presentable at all times."

Black Tiger stood there with a towel round his waist and his wet hair matted on his forehead. His skin glistered, still damp from the shower. The android appeared to be utterly indifferent to the circumstance that his dress-code was bothering her. "It did not trouble you before. For instance, you seem to crave skin-to-skin contact during slumber."

Leanne's frown deepened. "About that. You'll be sleeping on the sofa from now on."

"Have I upset you?" Black Tiger asked. "I do apologize if that is the case."

"Not everything can be solved with a simple apology," Leanne countered.

"Apparently so. Perhaps a source of action will lighten your mood. Would an affectionate embrace suffice?" He opened his arms and awaited her approach. She flung a fresh pair of pants in his face and everything turned dark. "I assume this treatment translates to the refusal of my offered embrace."

He put on his shirt and pants, and then entered the bedroom where he saw Leanne lying on the bed as though she would sink into a long sleep; she vigorously embraced the pillow and buried her face in it.

She had been living in this apartment for eight whole months, living independently for ten. A record for her. The realization still startled her. She definitely wasn't going back home.

Once Leanne noticed Black Tiger standing at the foot of the bed, with his damp locks making him look like a drowned rat, she sat up and pats the empty space beside her.

"Sorry for being so mean," she took a hold of the draped towel over his broad shoulders and dried his hair. "You definitely didn't do anything wrong."

Looking at him more closely, he had a rather broken beauty to him. The android was not there at all, only the heavy, broken beauty. And Leanne realized how Black Tiger's eyes were beautiful too, so vibrant and warm and confused, broken also in their expression.

"I'm supposed to meet my parents for dinner this Friday."

"I do not comprehend why this matter is upsetting you. Are you not fond of your origin?"

"I love my parents," Leanne said in a matter-of-fact tone. "But they're so overprotective, especially my Dad—in case I'd collapse again as a child he kept me away from school and educated me at home. Him inviting me for dinner only means he'll try to convince me to come home again."

Black Tiger's serious expression implied he didn't plan on letting that happen.

"Then I will convince him otherwise," he said earnestly. "Leanne Reed, if not for you I would not be here. My existence has no meaning if you were to be taken away. It is no exaggeration when I say that I will do anything—anything in my power to keep you near."

"Funny, I never pictured you to be selfish," she said, although her heart did flutter.

"Is it not acceptable for me to be selfish?" He looked expectant, with just enough mischievousness in his eyes to make her smile.

"I _love_ it."

By the time Friday night arrived, she knew exactly why she loved the android. He was her perfect boyfriend, judging by the way Mr. and Mrs. Reed were gazing rapturously at him from across the table at a quaint little French restaurant on Silver Stage.

They loved him, sitting beside their perfectly suitable daughter in a perfectly suitable Armani suit Leanne bought in a last-minute wardrobe panic on Thursday.

"So… how did you two meet?" Charlotte asked, her soft blue gaze beneath her tasteful jet-black French twist hair, her eye filled with laughter, very much like Leanne's whenever she's in a good mood. In fact, Charlotte looked like an older, more self-assured version of Leanne.

Black Tiger ignored the fact that Leanne squeezed his hand under the table and proceeded to tell them in that well-modulated voice, how they met.

"I had the pleasure of meeting her four months past, at the office where she currently works. After the—ah—unfortunate heart attack, I managed to earn her trust—and affection. As of now, we are a happy couple, and very much in love."

Uttering his words with confidence Leanne found it hard to breathe, especially when he was sitting so close and looking so damn good in his ironed shirt. _He's only trying to help_, she thought. This ripple of sexual awareness was disturbing, to say the least. The longer he was in her life, the more she wanted to love him. There were a lot of reasons it was a bad idea.

"You think you love her. Honestly, four months isn't that long. And with her health waning we want to be absolutely sure she's in safe hands—" But before her father could say anything else, Black Tiger squeezed Leanne's hand and proceeded to tell her parents that he will do whatever he can to keep her safe.

"I love her," he said calmly, gazing at Leanne. She nodded meekly as the desire to love him overcame her again.

The gentle click of silverware sounded as they dined on filet mignon, sipped expensive wine, and chatted now and then. The check came and Daniel calmly and efficiently handed over his platinum card. It was clear by this point Black Tiger had passed the Meet-the-Parents test with flying colors; they trust him enough to take care of their only child.

Daniel hailed a cab while Charlotte moved on from Leanne to embracing Black Tiger warmly—in spite of his polite protests—before she sat her well-fragranced self comfortably beside her husband in the cab and sped away.

"They really like you," Leanne said, flashing him a beautiful smile.

But Black Tiger said nothing in reply, only foaming at the mouth and struggling to function. Despite the disability of failing to consume food he did not drop his act and ate his share of the meal.

Pride welled up in her heart. He was a humble, incredibly hardworking type who she could always count on, and nothing can change that.

— — — — — — — —

Leanne stretched and sighed, winding her body more closely around Black Tiger's, and relaxing under the covers into the melted tangle of their arms and legs. Beneath her fingers, she felt the vibrating purr of his artificial heart in his chest, and she grinned. She felt his cheek against the top of her head.

Just for fun, she began to tickle him with soft fingers. His skin felt so humanlike and not at all like what she expected. His body temperature was warm as well, although he mentioned that he had none; it was only heat exhaust.

Leanne didn't care either way.

She felt too wonderfully drowsy in Black Tiger's arms, too warm and safe. A niggling reminder wormed its way into Leanne's contentment, returning her to earth with a nasty thud. Moving with more reluctance than usual, she disentangled her body from his, which took a little doing because she felt so mellow, and she only ever felt that way with him.

Which was another reason why she had to see this through.

"Adam," she said, "do you know the meaning of love?"

"Affirmative," he answered, looking at her with those curious red orbs. "Love is a strong feeling that represents affection toward someone dear to you. You love someone through their flaws and all, accepting and embracing each other's differences. Love is when you realize you could never live without the other. It is a form of prolonged mutual protection, paired with the purpose to reproduce and to continue the blood line."

Leanne laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess you got the gist of it. So…"

He waited through her silence. He took notice of Leanne's frantic pulse with a quick scan from head to toe. "You are stalling."

"You're not making this easy."

"I apologize."

"Don't apologize!" she gushed. "I mean—geez—is it cold in here?" Black Tiger was coming dangerously close to accusing her of cowardice.

"Initiating recharging process in ten seconds."

Leanne flushed. "Don't rush me, Adam—"

"Five seconds remaining."

"I'm in love with you."

Leanne's words hung in the air. The silence expanded, and neither of them seemed capable of either speaking or looking away. Something in her expression softened and warmed into a glow of adoration he felt he didn't deserve.

She eased closer and cupped his face. Finally, she kissed him—a soft, cool, delicate kiss, and even the inside of his mouth was so detailed, so warm and soft, then she moved away from him.

"I'm in love with you," she said again.

"I am, at a loss of words. You cannot sincerely mean to copulate with the likes of an object such as myself—"

Leanne frowned. "You are not an object, Adam."

"—and surely, you cannot afford to waste anymore of your precious time—"

"I want to spend time with you! Adam, you're the best thing that ever happened to me."

His eyes stared back at her without the usual spark in them. "I cannot give you what you desire, simply because I am inadequate for the task of being reduced to a potential mate. I want us to be affectionate as companions, and nothing more."

All Leanne wanted to do was slump into a dark corner and forget this ever happened. Her gaze, so warm a moment ago, was chilled by several degrees.

She stood up, gathered some of his clothes and pressed the bundle into his arms. Then she walked him to the door, opened it, and gently pushed him out into the hall.

"This is—" he tilts his head curiously, not able to process what she meant.

"Goodbye, Adam." She had to force the words out as she closed the door in his face.


	7. Chapter 7

Three weeks. Three. Freaking. Weeks. That was how long it's been since Leanne had seen Black Tiger's face, a period that felt like the unfortunate collision between infinity and eternity.

They hadn't communicated in any way—she hadn't even seen him at work anymore, for God's sake—and she had no idea if he was alright, whether he hates her, or whether he was still alive.

The distance was killing her.

Leanne slumped in her chair behind her desk and pressed her skull between her hands. If she crushed it like an overripe tomato, it would kill the splitting headache behind her eyes, right? If she crashed through the office window and fell to her death, it would feel better than the crawling-out-of-her-skin agitation that plagued her since she kicked Black Tiger out, wouldn't it?

No, it probably wouldn't.

Adam.

How about if she switched to thinking about something else for a minute? That'd be a nice change. She gave it her best effort for ten seconds… and nope. Couldn't pull it off, which was a sad commentary on his superhuman powers over her.

Their meeting on the roof had been plaguing her lately. That was the exact second her life changed forever, and she'd known it on some instinctual level, even then.

"Leanne?"

That day he dazzled her for the first time, and the last thing she expected was for an android to march in and turn her life as she knew it upside down and inside out— "Leanne? Snap out of it!" She came out of her sweet memory with a crash. Holly stood near, looking bemused.

Leanne was not in the mood for chit chat. "What?"

That made Holly laugh. "You're in bad shape."

She tried to flatten her with death rays shot from her eyes, but Holly didn't seem to mind. _I bet Adam could shoot death rays from his eyes with ease_. She groaned upon remembering the face she tries to forget.

"You need to go out more, Leanne. You want to hang out at the usual club this Saturday?" Maybe she could drown her sorrow with alcohol. "Absolutely."

"Are you sure you're up for it?"

"I'm more than ready," Leanne said, sounding a lot more chipper than she felt. Holly looked dubious but didn't argue. "If you're sure then. Oh, and you'd better go to the lobby before Adam comes up himself. I'll make sure Mr. Scott won't notice you're gone."

"Bye," she said dully.

Hang on. Adam? Did Holly just say that Adam was here? She tried to play it cool and not let too much of her wild hope show in her eyes. "Please don't mess with my head," she grumbled.

Holly grinned with utmost glee and mischief. "Oh, didn't I mention? I was just at the receptionist's desk where a man looking suspiciously like Adam was asking for you."

She refused to pace in the elevator as it descended. Leanne prayed her tense body didn't snap, rubber band-like, and bounced off the walls. She'll apologize—she'll do anything to get him back. She wants to jar him out of his comfort zone and make him realize how much he means to her—as a friend and not as a lover, like he wanted.

For God's sake, how long did it take to ride down in an elevator?

All right, Leanne. Relax. Occupy yourself.

And there he sat in the lobby, pushing random buttons on his phone while he waited for her to show up. Here she was, drinking the sight of him like a dry sponge soaking up a water spill. He was every bit as handsome as she remembered, with golden skin and smooth short hair.

Finally she met his penetrating gaze, and his brown eyes alarmed her. The feeling of danger threaded itself through the atmosphere, permeating every inch around her. Pulsating.

This man isn't Adam.

He's not Adam.

The words throbbed within her head, like a mantra. "Who the hell are you?" she growled.

He blinked. "You must be Leanne Reed?" the older man asked, stuffing his phone in his back pocket. Leanne nodded, and Kotetsu extended his hand. "Kotetsu T. Kaburagi. Pleased to meet you."

She shook Kotetsu's hand in a firm, brisk way. Looking closer, his eyes were such a light brown they were almost golden. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."

— — — — — — — —

The downtown bistro teemed with lunch-goers whose voices echoed in the small space. Leanne crossed her legs and smoothed her skirt because she had the uncontrollable fidgets—until Kotetsu gently called out to her. This man bore a striking resemblance to the android she grew fond of, and Leanne had unconsciously found a strange kind of comfort in the likeness. It was the only reason why she accepted his invitation.

"I have some questions I need to ask you," he said when the waiter left. "Are you okay with that?"

"I'm good." _I'm terrible. I feel like I'm going insane. I shouldn't even be here._

"Do you know this man?" Leaning forward in his chair, he placed a photo on the table. The image of Black Tiger branded her soul. In spirit, she could feel his arms around her, his tall figure nestling closely against her. It hurt.

"I've never seen him before," she began.

"Oh yeah?"

"I really have no idea who he is, so I'm afraid you're wasting your time, Mr. Kaburagi."

"Uh-huh."

He stared at her, his face dull. Here he was, being nice, and she's lying through her teeth. "You can tell there's a difference between him and me; you know him on a personal level," he explained.

Leanne lowered her eyes. "There's no reason to continue—" Damn, her heart ached, "—this chase, you know, and maybe you can talk to him for a change. That could work, right? And if you, I don't know, try to listen and understand how he feels about all this—"

"Don't even think about it," Kotetsu interrupted, and there was an edge to his voice now. "Don't even think about protecting him. You don't know what he's capable of." His voice became quiet, a shade too quiet Leanne thought, with a look of such deadly fury on his face.

"There isn't a corner of this earth where he can run to hide from me. Not for long. Because I'll find him. And when I do, he'll learn what it means to hurt the people I care about. I'll shred the very skin off his bones and there's _nothing_ you can do to _help_ him. Do you understand?"

Leanne looked intensely disgusted and upset. "That's the story about Adam, is it—that he's a monster? _You're_ the one desperately trying to kill him." Her lips were set in a taut line, and her angry eyes were fixed on Kotetsu, but he gazed coolly back at her. "He's a menace to society—"

"Leave him alone!" she said. "You created him as you liked, only to destroy him like this, it's disgusting!"

Rising from her chair, she deliberately yelled to raise attention and left the table, and Kotetsu quickly paid for the drinks and followed after her. Once outside, he caught Leanne by the arm to make her stop.

"Let me go!" she said.

"You know about him—that he's not human and you're still defending him? He has to be destroyed."

"He's perfectly humane, so thoughtful in his generosity, so full of kindness and tenderness. Adam is more human than you'll ever be!" she snapped. This argument was draining her and it put too much strain on her already fragile heart.

A couple strolled arm in arm, the woman giggling as her companion guided her down the street. Then, a disoriented man collided into them, delivering a slurred speech of an alcoholic. Kotetsu's eyes narrowed at the sight of the drunkard. He then relinquished his hold on Leanne and went to the couple's aid.

There she began walking off while crankily unfastening several buttons of her blouse. From here on out she'll leave the arguments to Black Tiger.

Leanne turned at the sound of screeching tires. A grey van careened toward her. She frowned and automatically panned out of the way, to the opposite end of the street…where she discovered a garbage truck blocking the intersection.

Leanne's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen.

She spun on her heels and braced to dash into the bistro. Saw Kotetsu clutching his stomach as blood jetted from between his fingers. The drunkard stood behind him, brandishing a knife. Leanne panicked and bolted across the street, hoping the sudden move would throw them off.

Too late.

Hands gripped her from behind, dragging her toward the van's open door. Her legs smacked the metal frame as they pulled her inside. Then a hood was yanked over her head, the van door slammed shut and a voice was heard: "Unit one, unit one, we have her. Unit two, move in behind us."

Leanne let out a yelp at the sudden, sharp pain in her thigh. _Oh no_, she thought, _they're drugging me!_

Then everything went black.

— — — — — — — —

Kotetsu managed to overcome his assailant and knocked him out cold despite his injury. _I'm getting too old for this_, he thought, stumbling blindly in the street.

Barnaby adjusted his grip on the steering wheel of his Lonely Chaser. Aside from the passing of an occasional car, the streets were silent. Almost eerily so, considering Sternbild had twenty million residents.

He hit the brakes as soon as he spotted his partner slumped against the wall. As he approached him, the expanding blood-stain on Kotetsu's shirt send Barnaby into an alarmed state.

"What happened?" he asked, his expression turning pale.

"I'll be fine, just go after the van," Kotetsu managed to say.

"Forget the van! You're gonna bleed to death if you don't get any help!"

"Check the drunk's pulse…" He closed his eyes momentarily; his wound burned painfully as blood trickled from his abdominal wound.

"I don't care what happens to him," Barnaby glanced at the man. Despite not caring, he couldn't ignore his partner's plea, so he did as he was told. Once he did, his fists clenched; he was quite rigid. He dropped down on his knees.

Ouroboros; the serpent eating its own tail, made its reappearance.

Barnaby was terrified by the exposure of this inked mark on the man's wrist and his mind whirled to a shadowy memory that had instilled a lingering fear into the mind of a lost child. With unsteady words, "Stay alive, Kotetsu," Barnaby snapped out of his reverie and mounted his Lonely Chaser.

Spotting the van, Barnaby eased in on his prey, only to nearly lose control of his motorcycle when the traffic light above him suddenly exploded, followed in quick succession by two more across the street, deliberately insuring a collision as half a dozen cars smashed to pieces into the van.

"Is anyone hurt?" asked Barnaby, helping the people climb out of the wrecks as best he could. "No, we're all in one piece, thank goodness," a young driver said. No one was hurt more than being shaken up.

Leanne stumbled out of the van and seemed suddenly to feel an acute pain in her chest; she turned pale and pressed her hands to her heart. Barnaby hastened to her side. Clearly suffering, she sank slowly onto her knees.

"Breathe easy, Miss Reed." She looked up at Barnaby with a disturbed expression; how did he know her last name? Noticing her judging stare, he looked away, and glanced at an electric store, as if it held the answer to her question. Together, they stared at a computer screen as it flashed, a clear message '_Are You Alright?_' printed across the desktop.

She understood that Adam had kept her safe, as he promised. Sincere longing trembled in her voice as she said: "Thank you for your help."

That got a response as the computer screen showed another message, '_You Are Utmost Welcome, Leanne Reed._' before the screen went dead again.


	8. Chapter 8

Leanne felt her head swim upon getting up. Her chest ached. A few minutes later there was a knock on her door, and Barnaby came in. The man had secured the people and brought her to the hospital, but she hadn't done more than nod at him when spoken to.

"I hear you're not doing so well," said Barnaby. "I thought I'd come in and keep you company, at least."

Leanne, blushing she knew not why, made light of the whole thing. She'll be alright in an hour or two. "I'll stay for as long as I have to," said Barnaby.

"That's not necessary, Mr. Brooks," answered Leanne irritably.

"I insist."

Barnaby sat on the chair near the side of her bed and looked at her for a moment, then he sighed. "Maybe I should bring in the doctor to have another look at you."

"No," said Leanne. "There's nothing wrong with me."

"You're suffering from a serious heart condition – one that drastically shortens your lifespan. Yet, you associate yourself with H-01, an android currently on the run from the law. Why?" There was a peculiar repulsion in his voice, a mingling of kindness and displeasure which put her on edge.

"Adam is a wonderful person," Leanne murmured, closing her eyes with a smile. "I wish you would see him in the same light."

It seemed hours before Barnaby said anything. He thought of Amelia and of her fearful nightmares turning into reality, filling her heart with cold terror. She was so afraid of being alone now; she followed him everywhere in the apartment they shared.

"Where are you going?" she had asked when Barnaby prepared to walk out the door. "Barnaby," she said, coming to a standstill before him. He stared at her, not knowing what to say.

_Who are you?_ He thought, looking at the face of his love, her eyes strangely glittering and looking in a scared way at him. "I'll stay," said Barnaby, as though he understood.

His head felt as if it would split, anguish rent his limbs, and he was afraid he was going to cry in front of Leanne. "I was like you once." He turned with a grave expression to the ill woman. "I was utterly ignorant in the past, and the same ignorance is certainly bliss in your case, Miss Reed. But I won't spare you the truth."

Already, his words brought a great sinking feeling to her heart; she didn't want to hear what followed.

"When we faced H-01 at the top of Justice Tower, it was as if the solid ground went from under my feet. Look at me now—I'm a shipwrecked man clinging to a bit of wreckage."

"But you made it through."

"Just barely; I came close to losing everything I hold dear. You will suffer the same fate sooner or later. That's what we're trying to prevent—"

"You said you were like a shipwrecked man clinging to some wreckage," she demanded, imperiously, as Barnaby broke off. "With good reason," he answered low, and the words came with intense animosity.

"Well, I used to be a shipwrecked woman clinging to some wreckage. All my life I have been ill. I never liked people fussing about me and the dreary cleanliness of the hospital." Her face showed traces of serenity, wisdom, yet vulnerable all the same.

"My life has changed for the better since I met him. He saved me. He rescued me from the shipwreck. Mr. Brooks, Adam is a good person."

"It rescued you…" echoed Barnaby, with a half-bitter laugh, "That thing almost murdered Amelia, the love of my life, who doesn't even feel safe in my arms anymore."

"I can't imagine how you must feel," she said slowly. "But Adam is a changed man. He's done a lot for me, in all sorts of ways—relieving me of many burdens. In fact, he seemed happiest when he is doing something for me."

She watched Barnaby rise from his seat, and now saw the deadly resolve in the man's eyes. "You have no idea what that machine is capable of—no idea," he said. "It'll send you to an early grave, Miss Reed."

"Would you kill a person, regardless of the crimes they committed in the past?" pleaded Leanne, her voice earnest.

"No, but H-01 isn't human," replied Barnaby slowly.

"It's designed to look like Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, to kill and replace him, to act like us humans, but it can't change its expression. It's nothing but a machine, using a driving system to function, and despite owning a body with a flesh-like resemblance, H-01 is made of highly advanced synthetic jelly silicon and artificial joints."

"That doesn't matter!" cried Leanne in a frightened little voice. "He says to me the ungrateful, to me the liar, to me the guilty one: thank you. Oh, how he's grateful. He might not be able to change his facial expression, but he can express a wide variety of emotions. Isn't that what makes him human—what makes _us_ human?"

Leanne was in love, and to her Black Tiger was so perfect in every respect that he was a man far above everything earthly; and that she was a woman so low and so earthly that she could never regard herself as worthy to him.

"I'm sorry," Barnaby said in a gentle voice, "Nothing you say can change my mind; H-01 will be prosecuted and destroyed."

Leanne threw back her head, and laughed mirthlessly, ironically. "Adam deserves to rebel against the abuse he went through—by his own creators, by mankind. He is more human than any of us; just perfect—never cross, never unjust, and always ready to help."

Barnaby looked at her for long moments.

"He regards all life as a precious, irreplaceable thing, and he'd never kill anyone. It's a pity you're no exception for that rule." Her strong form and unwavering eyes made him believe that she was dead serious.

"I'm not like Adam…" Their eyes met and held. "I'd kill you if it ensures his survival."

A great light of understanding broke over his face. They were the same, her and him. He could feel her fear of losing Black Tiger; she won't stop at anything to protect the one she loves—and neither will he. With controlled deliberation he turned his back on her and left the room.

— — — — — — — —

Waking up drugged on morphine was beginning to become an annoying habit, Kotetsu thought tiredly as he stared at the white ceiling of his hospital room. He might have been irritable and short-tempered with Nathan just moments ago, but all he really wanted was to be left alone with his thoughts.

When Nathan finally got the hint and left the hospital room, he was relieved. Meeting Barnaby in the hallway, Nathan put up a tough front, all lipstick and cool, hard, serious eyes, as he probably was this moment.

"Tell me, Handsome," he said, wishing to know the worst, "What sort of person is this Leanne Reed?"

"She's a simple, quiet woman suffering from heart failure. She speaks highly of her attraction to H-01."

Nathan made no sound for a moment. "I suppose she won't let us protect her."

Barnaby stared through his glasses, scrutinizing Nathan's face. His voice lowered to a whisper. "You think Ouroboros is after her. That this wasn't coincidental…"

He assumed that Leanne was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"You've heard for yourself how she simply adores her android friend. The syndicate plans on luring H-01 out using Leanne as bait; they're desperate to get their toy back," Nathan relied on quick wit and keen business savvy to see him through, and this was no different. "I'm just concerned they're not the only ones after him."

— — — — — — — —

A knock on the door and Dr. Riviello came in, followed by Lucas, looking strong and cheerful. "Good news," Dante said, his rich, accented voice filling the room. "After waiting just ten days for a new heart on the emergency transplant list, we found a suitable donor. We'll get you prepped up for surgery this afternoon."

He watched Leanne, and saw her looking at him with her eyes full of horror and alarm, as if he were committing a crime. "Not the reaction I was expecting," said Dante, oddly.

"I'm sorry," Leanne flushed. "That's great news, right? Of course it is," she said, cheerily, after Lucas prepped her for quick blood samples.

"Your condition was so grave that we might have to place you on a Berlin heart. But that won't be necessary; not with tomorrow's heart transplant in the works. Rest up properly."

Lucas gave Leanne a teasing smile, and with a sterilized needle extracted the necessary amount of blood. "I'll handle the rest, no prob."

With a firm nod Dr. Riviello let himself out quietly.

"Well then," said Lucas as he gathered his equipment. "I'll be seeing you in an hour, alright?" Then the door closes behind him and she was left alone.

The monitor screen near her gave her a small fright, '_Leave Hospital Premises_' warning her of trouble. All the humor melted out of her face; she starts to gather her things telling herself she was being at least halfway stupid for attempting to escape.

She didn't fail to notice security cameras swiveling to focus on others. Almost as if they were avoiding her on purpose. "Adam," she said, too quietly for anyone to hear.

_Just walk normally. Don't run. Don't give them any reason to suspect you_, she warned herself as she headed for the main entrance. If she could get to the main hallway, she'd be home free. Just as she made it to the main hallway, she saw Dr. Riviello in the company of two men wearing official law enforcement uniforms; Special Agents.

An urgent message flashed on a computer screen nearby, _'Danger- Run'_ and that was when fear started creeping in. The men noticed her, "Hands in the air!" and Leanne struggled to give them an innocent look when her heart was pounding so hard that she thought it might stop functioning.

But after only a few steps in her direction they were halted by a head-splitting feedback screech, and Leanne swore she heard Black Tiger's voice as several electronics suddenly exploded. People cried in surprise and panic, quickly dropping down on the floor.

Taking her chance, Leanne ran out the building, desperately trying to escape her pursuers. She'd known this was dangerous after getting kidnapped by a crime syndicate only yesterday, but she didn't expect the FBI to get involved as well.

Everyone saw Black Tiger as a tool. They want to use, abuse and then destroy him—and they need her to get that far. It got harder to move her legs, her body feeling weak and more sluggish than usual. Her chest was on fire, but she refused to stop moving.

_Why can't they just leave us alone_, she thought, trying to swallow back a wave of tears that threatened to overwhelm her.

A familiar red and white motorcycle came to a standstill nearby, blocking her path. Seeing Barnaby's smug face, his satiny cream skin over model's features, clad in his Hero suit…

"Get in."

Something bubbled inside her, churning its way to the top. And it felt so scorching hot that she could almost hear the tips of her ears sizzle. That's when she lost her freaking mind.

"You actually think I'll listen to you?"

He stared at her, all polite puzzlement at her unnecessary rudeness. "I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of seeing your friend fall in either Ouroboros or the FBI's grubby hands. You can't outrun them without help; let me help you."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

He shrugged as though he never threatened to hurt the android. "I had a change of heart."

"Since when?" she cried.

"Today, I suppose."

She snorted.

"I'm tired of pretending that everything is alright at home, when really I count the seconds until I see Amelia smile again. If you say that Adam is trustworthy and harmless, I want him to prove it. I want him to help Amelia."

Leanne jumped in the side car, folding her arms across her chest and scowled at him. "You'd better not have made up an imaginary girlfriend."

"She's my Eve. She deserves everything."

Leanne's winter grey eyes lit up at his words, and she looked away, biting her tongue to stop herself from telling him how much of a nice guy he really was. She most definitely didn't think he was

"sweet."


	9. Chapter 9

The evening was darkening: star and moon were quenched in gray rainclouds. Gray they were by day; by night they looked sable. Black Tiger was given to close observation of nature; as every change passed, they were noticed by him. The beauty of earth and heaven was something he never took for granted.

As Black Tiger switched into slumber mode, he wished he could dream, all the way back to his first meeting with the woman he'd grown fond of. Leanne with the laughing eyes and short dark hair.

Images of her flashed more frequently in his coded memory. He got closer to her every chance he could get – obsessively so, and without caution. His coded memory took him to the day Leanne confessed her true feelings.

He could see her disappointed face as she shut the door. She was crying – his Leanne with the laughing eyes was sobbing behind closed doors, and he was the cause of her sorrow. In his mind, Black Tiger could see her tear-stained face as she opened the door and pulled him back inside, her mouth moving.

He shifted in his spot, awake and fully charged. This was new. He didn't remember her calling out. She'd done nothing but cry as she cut ties with him. It was the way he'd remembered it for the time they were apart. So why had the memory been different?

Did she still need him?

Black Tiger stood from his spot in the abandoned warehouse piled to the roof with rubble. There was no man in the empty warehouse; only machinery. He gave himself time to decide if he should leave. Finally, the android walked out of the warehouse.

The air was sultry and still.

What if he reached Leanne—even if he was no longer a part of her life anymore? He wanted to see her—no—he _needed_ to protect her, even if it destroys him.

— — — — — — — —

Keeping his movements broad and slow, the Double Chaser responded to Barnaby's shifting weight. Leanne was glad she wore her brown leather jacket, snugged around her small frame and repelling the worst of the weather. Through the visor of Barnaby's helmet, the world flowed past in shades of grey and the water-shattered reflections of passing cars.

As Leanne closed her eyes to ease the tension, the wind had edged its icy fingers into her jacket. She often thought how strange the turns her life had taken. Had anyone told her that one day she would risk her life to save an android, she would have called them crazy.

Her illness has reached the critical stage, and at the age of twenty-four, she's lucky to have lived so long. Leanne had always imagined herself going into old age surrounded by children and grandchildren with a loving husband by her side—the highly intelligent and responsive Black Tiger is the closest thing to a loving husband in her eyes, anyway.

Sacrificing her life for him was an ominous thought, but it somehow fit the rainy day. As if reacting to her ominous thoughts, the pain she'd been living with for a lifetime took a sharp upward spike, making Leanne reach out for her chest. She waited until the worst of it passed, but Barnaby had already pulled over. "You're in bad shape," he said. "I have to turn back and drop you off at the hospital. I'll handle the rest on my own."

"What? No, I'll be fine!" She hadn't hesitated in snapping a retort.

"Do you want to die _that_ badly?"

This had been followed by a short silence. Barnaby waited. Eventually Leanne spoke. "No, I don't want to die." She lowered her voice. Now it was as if she was talking to herself. "But understand that this is my life. My life. And I'll spend it however I like."

Something happened. The utmost force of an explosion was felt. It was loud, and the power of it made the earth tremble. Leanne sprang up from her seat as though shot. It alarmed them, and yet, her large grey eyes had an expression of firm determination in them. Barnaby hit the gas pedal abruptly, at the same time shouting: "Hold on tight!"

With a flash of fire, a spray of broken glass and an earsplitting boom, the world exploded behind Blue Rose. Shattered glass might have lacerated her bare skin as flames burst from the building in front of which she'd been standing, but strong arms had closed around her, lifting her off her feet and carrying her out of danger.

"Are you alright?" Sky High inquired, in which she nodded her head. As they watched the company building fill up with dense smoke, there was the sound of many voices shouting unintelligible things. The smoke was thicker once they found a way inside and the people nearly suffocated. The whole floor was one mass of leaping flames. She could hear an ominous crackling that increased every minute.

"Follow me!" Sumo Thunder from the Second League supported the victims, trying to sound confident as to not cause any panic. Meanwhile, Sky High scanned the area once more when a roaring fireball came down on him with a crash, sending him flying through the walls like it was nothing, then skidded to a halt on the pavement outside.

Out of the rubble appeared the pyromancer; a man whose body was entirely engulfed in flames, hovering above the debris. "So you're the perpetrator," said Sky High, standing up on his feet.

"Watch out!" cried Blue Rose in a high, cracked voice. Even as her words flashed through his brain he received a heavy blow to the face that nearly knocked him down. Sky High staggered, and saw the fire-powered fist coming at him in a wild swing. He ducked, and the fist flew harmlessly past, pivoting the man who had driven it.

Sky High attacked, landing a mighty burst of wind on the flaming man. Before the eyes of the Heroes, the flames only crackled and roared, growing bigger and stronger. Smirking, the man released a large fireball up close, blasting his opponent into an abandoned house.

Blue Rose looked on with bated breath, leaning slightly forward, then blasted away with her guns. They were in serious trouble. Since there were three simultaneous attacks on the table—an unusual circumstance, even for Sternbild City—Agnes told the Heroes that they'd be skipping the standard procedure and getting directly to the scene of the crime in groups, together with the Second League, which everyone agreed to.

Fire Emblem, Dragon Kid and an eager Bombeman were dispatched to North Gold where, ironically for the Second League Hero, a bombing took place. With an elaborate scarf covering her bejeweled hands, together with her long eyelashes, vibrant green eyes, black hair and sharp features, their opponent greatly unsettled the trio.

Their powers proved to be a bad combination with this one's NEXT ability; out of thin air, she creates and launches bombs that range from small explosions to near-nuclear blasts.

At South Gold, Rock Bison, Miss Violet and Origami Cyclone faced a strong-looking, senior-aged man, dressed very well, very snuggly in a grey overcoat, burgundy silk scarf, thick gloves and dark felt hat, twirling his wooden cane. The old man had demonstrated the ability to control geologic materials such as minerals, dirt and rocks, as shown by the way he brought down several buildings with only a snap of his fingers.

"Barnaby," Agnes's voice reached the spectacled Hero. "I suggest you rendezvous with Rock Bison, Origami Cyclone and Miss Violet as soon as possible. They're closest to your current location."

"That's not gonna happen." Barnaby drew in a deep breath and broke his connection. Ignoring orders wasn't his style, but there really wasn't anything he could do seeing as there were eight FBI agents blocking his way.

The pair listened as the leader rambled on about the consequences of running from the law, and then asked, "So you're Leanne Reed?"

"Maybe," Leanne said.

"Meyer," he addressed one of his burly co-workers. "Get her in the car."

There wasn't any warning. One second she was standing beside Barnaby, the next, Meyer grabbed her around the waist, then tossed her over a very broad, very hard shoulder. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she yelled as blood rushed to her head, making her a little dizzy.

"My job."

When she tried to kick him, he wrapped one arm around her legs, holding her still. Wriggling didn't help. The man had muscles like rock. "Help me," she began, as Barnaby turned and walked away. "Don't leave me behind!"

He stopped, then turned to face her. "This is for the best. You'll only get in the way."

"Bullshit! You need me for the same reason these blockheads do—you need Adam to come out and then take advantage of him, just like everyone else," she yelled. "I actually thought you were different. I trusted you!"

"This is necessary to keep you safe." There was a tremor in Barnaby's voice. Good, Leanne thought furiously. She hoped Barnaby felt guilty for the rest of his life. "There's nothing else to do in this situation," he continued, sounding less than sure.

"Adam would never turn his back on me," Leanne screamed. "Don't think I'll ever forgive you. Ever!" The last word was cut short as she was tossed back in the rear of an SUV. The door slammed shut before she could run. She lunged for the door handle, only there wasn't one.

She looked outside as a mysterious pair of individuals entered the scene. Attired simply in a low-cut tunic dress, with long raven-black hair flowing down her back, the female easily blended with the background.

The man, dressed in a shabby gabardine trench-coat and black trousers falling upon classic shoes, kept walking ahead, at the same time putting an air of faintly mocking gallantry into his stride. His wavy, chest-nut hair fell over his straightened brows, and a black silk patch covered one eye. His left eye, small and deep-set, was metallic-blue.

He introduced himself as Reuben, the leader of the Four Horsemen currently wreaking havoc in Sternbild. Greg, the commander of his squad for almost twelve years now, knew most of the people doing mischief in this town, but he'd never run across one who dressed so proper with the ominous Ouroboros sign embroidered on his eye-patch.

"That does beat all," he said. "What's the snake stand for? You some kind of snake charmer?" he joked.

Inside the SUV, Leanne heard a disturbing _splat!_ A gout of blood and fragments of Greg's skull blasted across the floor to the window. At the same time, the agents jumped into action despite Barnaby telling them to stay put, and they suffered the same fate as Greg.

_Crack!_

Raising his hand upwards, Reuben made use of his NEXT ability and forced the top of their heads to flap open, cranial matter springing out. He casually walked past the dead men, their blood blossoming into widening pools. "Where's the girl?" he asked carefully.

Leanne caught her breath. _Please, God, don't let him die_, she thought.

Barnaby faced Reuben. "You're not getting away with this," he said, controlling his temper by an effort and speaking with dignity. "Stop while you still can."

Reuben grimaced, then laughed. Calling up his NEXT ability again, he focused on Barnaby, "Fucking hilarious!" before a part of the Hero's leg exploded, blood oozing onto the concrete. "Let's try this again, Hero,"—his voice sank low—"Where's the girl?"

Barnaby's response was a quick power up of his Hundred Power—rendered unusable for at least ten minutes before—and savagely attacked him. Reuben, in turn, had countered this move and slammed the Hero vehemently against the pavement with the use of his blood manipulative powers.

"Wrong answer."

Applying pressure on his busted leg, the bone drilled into his flesh with crushing savagery and the agony of that moment is not to be imagined. Barnaby screamed at the top of his voice. He was beside himself.

Leanne's skin prickled with fear, her heart hammering against her chest; despite all this, she tried her hardest to get the damn door open. Success! "Please, stop it!" she stumbled out. "Here I am, so stop torturing him!"

With a sweaty face, she looked at Barnaby's lifeless body on the concrete, seeing the eye-patched criminal, Reuben, leaning over him, and with a face so dark and wild, he grinned as soon as he saw Leanne had come out of hiding.

"I suppose it's only fair that I let him live," He stood erect, and without effort he constricted her heart, his left eye glowing brightly. "But I need _you_ to drop dead."


End file.
